Weight of the World
It was on top of The Astronomy Tower, at three in the morning. "Granger, get down from there!" Draco shouted. Hermione stood on the other side of the railing, her face stained with tears. Her back was turned to Draco.
"No, please, leave" she whispered loud enough that the boy could hear her. Hermione just wanted him to go so he wouldn't have to see this. Her end, the one she had been planning. The thing that had slowly overtaken her mind, like a virus.
"I'm not leaving! Please, get to the other side of the railing!" Draco shouted louder now. "Why would you want to do this?" Hermione took a deep breath and felt the lump return to her throat. Her hand gripped the metal railing a bit tighter, her red dress bellowed around her ankles as the wind blew harder.
"Draco" she whimpered "It's hard to explain. Don't make me."
"Then don't jump! Please, think of everyone! Your parents-!"
"They're dead!" she sobbed "They died because of me! Because I wanted to be a hero!"
"It's not your fault! Granger, people need you!" Draco said, taking a small step forward. "You have no reason to die!"
"Name one bloody reason I should keep living!" she howled. Audibly, the Slytherin inhaled deeply, knowing that this was his only chance.
"Because I love you, Hermione! And if you die, then I have no idea what I'm going to do! So please, if it isn't for yourself, for me, come back inside and let me help you!" Draco felt tears threaten to spill over. That was his heart, his one kept secret since his first year.
Hermione turned on the balcony, so she was facing him. For a moment, he thought that it had worked and that she was coming back to safety. "If you loved me, then how come you never saw this coming?"
"Because I never wanted to think that you would leave me!"
"I'm sorry Draco, but if you love me, let go of me" she said clearly. Draco mouthed 'no' as she let one hand free of the railing. She gave a sad smile as she held her arms to her sides, and let herself fall backwards. Draco screamed and lunged for the railing, but it was too late.
The Gryffindor girl fluttered like a red ribbon in her dress as she plummeted to the ground below, looking at the balcony the whole time. And for the first time in years, Draco could no longer hold back his sorrow as he watched the girl he one day planned to marry one day leave him. There was a sickening crack when she hit the ground, and he knew it was useless, he knew she was gone, off to her parents.
Somewhere he could never have her. She was no longer in this mad world we live in.